Intro - SZA style melodic hum
Mmm, yeah... they don't want you to read it...
But we gon' say it loud...
Chorus - Catchy Anthem
STOP THE PRESSES! HEAR THE TRUTH RING!
1776 WE WASN'T FREE TO SING!
13TH SAID "NO SLAVERY"... EXCEPT FOR CRIME!
READ THE LINE, READ THE LINE, IT'S STILL OUR TIME!
STOP THE PRESSES! HEAR THE TRUTH RING!
THEY GAVE US JULY 4TH WITH A CHAIN ON THE STRING!
Verse 1 - T.I. aggressive flow
Yeah, pull up the amendment, let me break it down vicious
Section One, first clause, that's the part they always missin'
"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude" — hold up, wait
"EXCEPT as punishment for crime" — yeah, they left the gate
January 31st, 1865, Congress passed it through
December 6th they ratified, told the world "we free, boo"
But check the fine print, man, that's where the devil hide
Plantation to the prison yard, same system, different ride
Abe with the Proclamation, '62 to '63
Only freed the South, left the border states with me
Kentucky, Maryland, still crackin' on our backs
So don't tell me 'bout a pen when the chains was still intact
Pre-Chorus - Drake style melodic
They tell us celebrate, wave the flag up high
But 99.5 was in shackles when they lit the sky
82 years deep, 1783 to 1865
New leaders, same evil, tell me who really survived?
Chorus - Catchy Anthem
STOP THE PRESSES! HEAR THE TRUTH RING!
1776 WE WASN'T FREE TO SING!
13TH SAID "NO SLAVERY"... EXCEPT FOR CRIME!
READ THE LINE, READ THE LINE, IT'S STILL OUR TIME!
STOP THE PRESSES! HEAR THE TRUTH RING!
THEY GAVE US JULY 4TH WITH A CHAIN ON THE STRING!
Verse 2 - Shreveport last to go!
Nah, f*** the illusion, f*** the lies they feed
Say "we equal now," but check the loophole in the deed
Amerikkka with three K's, that's how Craig Lee spell
Cause the hypocrisy loud, man, you can hear the bell
They built this on our backs, then wrote freedom on a scroll
Signed it while my ancestors was gettin' sold
July 4th fireworks, but we couldn't watch the show
Chattel, cattle, cash crop — that's all they let us know
Now they mad 'cause we readin', now they mad we see
That "peculiar institution" just switched identities
From the field to the cell, same massa, new whip
If you don't know the clause, then you bound to slip
Bridge - SZA melodic + aggressive switch
Mmm... they say "move on, that's history"
But history in the prison industry
(Spoken, hard) THEY SOLD US A DREAM TO KEEP US CONTENT!
WHILE THE LOOPHOLE STILL PAYIN' RENT!
Yeah!
Chorus - Catchy Anthem x2
STOP THE PRESSES! HEAR THE TRUTH RING!
1776 WE WASN'T FREE TO SING!
13TH SAID "NO SLAVERY"... EXCEPT FOR CRIME!
READ THE LINE, READ THE LINE, IT'S STILL OUR TIME!
STOP THE PRESSES! HEAR THE TRUTH RING!
THEY GAVE US JULY 4TH WITH A CHAIN ON THE STRING
Outro
Yeah... read it...
"Except for crime" — that's the line they hide...
From 1776 to 2026...
We still pressin'... we stiIl
Mmmmm
DANIELLE318
